How Do I Make Blueberry Compost?
Both conventional and organic blueberry cultivators use organic materials to create compost and mulch for blueberry production. Using organic compost provides a sustainable approach to commercial and personal blueberry production. Blueberries require very acidic soil with a pH of 4.8 to 5.5, but they do not need a lot of nitrogen, so traditional chemical fertilizers are not useful in blueberry production, but blueberries thrive with organic matter and fertilizers. Prior to and after planting and composting blueberries, test the soil pH. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Leaves, grass, pine needles or other organic matter
- Water
- High nitrogen fertilizer
- Pitch fork
- pH tester
Instructions
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Gather enough leaves, grass clippings and pine needles to create a large compost pile. Mix all of the organic matter together thoroughly. Compost will add aeration and retail moisture, in addition to lowering the pH.
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Keep the compost pile moist, as if it were a sponge. Turn the pile frequently with a pitchfork. Continue to turn and wet the compost for up to four weeks. This creates a cold compost, and will decompose slowly. Compost piles with an abundance of leaves may take two months to be ready for mixing with the soil.
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Add partially decomposed compost to soil three months to one year before planting. Mix the compost into the soil for the top 6 inches. Add it into the soil up to 2 feet around the plant and into the drip line. Water the soil mix well, and keep watering it if regular rainfall is low. Continually test the pH of the soil and add compost as needed to reduce the pH.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep mulch and compost at least 2 inches away from the main trunk of the plant. After planting the blueberries, add compost in the late winter or early spring, one month prior to the blueberry growing period.
When the compost is finished, the pH is neutral, so it will not affect the pH in the blueberry soil to the desired level. Vegetables will produce a pH that is too high for blueberries, so avoid vegetables in your blueberry compost. The compost can be directly applied to the soil without decomposition, however the heat from the decomposition can damage tender roots.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Blue berry image by marlot from Fotolia.com
